april 2009 issue
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Cultural Complexities
Seminar Helps Executives Address Diversity
A hiring spree over the past few years had many APEGGA permit holders combing the globe for professional staff. But now that the economy has cooled, how are those internationally educated engineers and geoscientists faring in the workplace?
Lionel Laroche, P.Eng., says a company can improve its productivity and effectiveness by helping professionals from other countries fit into their new positions. One of Canada’s top presenters on cultural diversity, he brings his message to executives during the APEGGA Annual Conference and Annual General Meeting, later this month. More than 15,000 people in nine countries have directly received career coaching and consulting services from the Ontario engineer and author.
At the afternoon session of APEGGA’s Executive Track seminar, April 23 in Calgary, Dr. Laroche presents on understanding the challenges that culturally different people face, while he offers tips, strategies and techniques executives can use to help them adapt.
In an interview with The PEGG, Dr. Laroche pointed out that much of the career development onus shifts from the company to the individual when times are tough. “When a company is looking at whether it’s even going to survive, it does what it has to do,” says Dr. Laroche. That means expecting more out of staff that remain on the payroll and laying off others.
It’s a scenario that doesn’t bode well for someone from overseas who’s struggling to learn a new culture while getting up to speed. Still, Dr. Laroche cautions that companies have to tread carefully.
“If they go too far, that will be remembered when things get going again,” he says. Word gets out, corporate reputations suffer — and companies that let their employee treatment slip dramatically may have trouble finding people.
Mr. Laroche also said soft skills are more important than ever. Professionals need to be innovative forward-thinkers, anticipating solutions that companies may not even know they need.
That serves as a perfect plug for the rest of the conference’s professional development program, April 23 and 24. As well as the Executive Track, the program is made up of five other streams, called
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Green Energy
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Appreciative Inquiry
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Leadership and Performance
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Bridging Generational Values in Today’s Workplace
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Skills for Successful Management.
To register and find out more about the program and the entire conference, April 23 to 25 in Calgary, visit www.apegga.org. Deadline is April 15.
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